U.S. troopers take part in a Mixed Joint Logistics Over-the-Shore (CJLOTS) and Fight Service Assist Space (CSSA) operations as a part of a joint discipline coaching train performed by South Korea-US Mixed Forces Command in Pohang on July 15, 2026.
Jung Yeon-je | Afp | Getty Photographs
President Donald Trump ordered the Pentagon on Sunday to cut back deliberate joint navy workouts with South Korea after the Republican president stated it declined to assist denuclearize Iran.
Trump stated in a Fact Social submit that the workouts slated to start this week are expensive and “ship a sign that’s completely inappropriate and hostile” to North Korea, which he stated “has been unthreatening and respectful” whereas Trump has been within the White Home.
“Subsequently, and primarily based on the truth that it’s too late to cancel, I’ve instructed Secretary of Warfare, Pete Hegseth, to considerably scale back the Joint Army Workouts!” Trump wrote. Trump added that he just lately requested South Korea’s president to affix the U.S. in its efforts to denuclearize Iran, “and so they stated, ‘No thanks!'”
The 11 days of workouts involving 18,000 South Korean troopers had been designed to beef up readiness towards North Korean threats.
North Korea on Friday threatened unspecified stern steps towards the U.S. and South Korea, describing their navy drills as “a rehearsal for an aggressive battle” which are triggering larger instability within the area.
The warning was typical of the tough rhetoric that North Korea usually deploys forward of main U.S.-South Korean navy workouts. Consultants say North Korea has usually used its rivals’ drills as a pretext to ramp up testing actions to broaden its weapons arsenals and promote public assist for chief Kim Jong Un.
U.S. and South Korean forces had been anticipated to follow joint operations in advanced eventualities, together with a live-fire train to check joint precision focusing on and maneuver, a moist hole crossing, and distribution of prepositioned navy tools, in accordance with the U.S. navy.
The U.S. navy has stated the train “reinforces the position of the alliance because the linchpin for regional peace and safety” and reaffirms “the ironclad dedication between america and the Republic of Korea to defend their homelands.”
Trump met with the reclusive North Korean chief thrice throughout his first time period to debate the nation’s nuclear program, most just lately in 2019. Since returning to workplace, Trump has expressed curiosity in persevering with these discussions.
Trump’s announcement got here a day after he posted a photograph of himself standing subsequent to North Korea’s Kim, writing that the 2 leaders get alongside nice “regardless of the unfriendly look on this specific image.”
This isn’t the primary time that Trump has sought to finish the workouts. Throughout his first time period, he additionally made a shock announcement calling the wargames “provocative.”
“We can be stopping the battle video games, which is able to save us an incredible amount of cash, except and till we see the longer term negotiation shouldn’t be going alongside prefer it ought to,” Trump advised reporters after his 2018 assembly with Kim Jong Un in Singapore.
